I was accidentally injured by God and I just want to be an ordinary person

Without dwelling on why Ella tilted her head to one side, Lotte drove the carriage onto the drawbridge.

The queues stretched all the way to the end of the suspension bridge. There were adventurers covered in blood, hunters carrying decomposed animal meat, peddlers driving ox carts from the countryside to sell agricultural products, and groups of travelers carrying bags covered with patches on their backs. There were people from almost all professions, including some well-dressed magic casters holding long staffs. However, these people were generally of low level, most of them were only around level 4, and only a few were at level 10.

In addition, the soldiers standing under the city wall, wearing chain mail shirts, responsible for guarding the checkpoints and collecting city taxes are generally at level 12.

According to the kingdom's organization, people at level 12 can already be promoted to knights, but they are assigned here to guard the gate. This should be because the nobles of the Kingdom of Paris attach great importance to face. Of course, gatekeeping itself is a very lucrative job, not to mention that the place being guarded is the royal capital, so occasionally accepting tips is also tacitly accepted by everyone.

The team quickly arrived at Ella's place. They didn't ask for her name or rank, but simply checked whether there were any contraband hidden in the carriage. After paying a certain amount of copper coins, they were allowed to pass.

There is almost no difference between the inside and outside of the city. Four carriages can run side by side. Countless residents are bustling about on the main road paved with stone slabs. The houses are mainly old and simple two-story stone buildings, without a trace of novelty or splendor. Combined with the airtight sky covered by thick dark clouds, it can be called an "ancient city". As to whether it is praising its long history or euphemistically saying that it is too old-fashioned and unchanging, different people may have different ideas.

As Ella, sitting in the driver's seat with Lotte, looked around like a country bumpkin, the voice of a young man in his twenties suddenly came from the side.

"Oh! Adventurers from a foreign land, I am willing to exchange this family-inherited Demon Gold Coin for a magical weapon!"

It was very obvious that the young man was shouting at the people who had just entered the city. He was not the only one standing at the wall. There were many other well-dressed men like his companions. If I was not mistaken, these people should all be descendants of non-local nobles. It was impossible for the descendants of local nobles to shout in the street in front of their own family and ask for adventurers, which was a disgrace to the nobles. Once discovered, they would face house arrest or even be expelled from their homes.

Through the "low-level identification", Ella discovered that these people were ordinary nobles below level 4.

A head with long brown hair emerged from the carriage.

"Little Ella, did I just hear someone asking for a magic weapon?"

"Yeah, those are the ones. What's wrong?"

"Didn't they say there were Demon Gold Coins? Little Ella used them before, didn't she? It seems like one could buy an entire noble mansion?"

Angelica tilted her head and looked between Ella and the young nobles.

"If Angelini wants it, how about sending her your sickle?"

With a teasing look, Ella deliberately turned her head to look at the giant sickle lying upright in the carriage - of course, even if Angelini really believed it, she would not let Angelini send it over.

Although Angeline briefly mentioned that the giant scythe she used was a magical weapon forged by her mentor herself and brought from the land of elves, Ella had no idea what specific special effects it had. However, considering that Angeline seemed to have never maintained the giant scythe, and that the blade would not bend even when it hit a black dragon, it must have been made with a large amount of orichalcum ore. It was a weapon that many level 30 orichalcum adventurers dreamed of.

The hesitation only lasted for a moment on Angelini's face before disappearing.

"No way, this scythe is definitely worth more than me, and what they said might be a lie, right?"

[To compare myself to someone like that... is that a slave?!]

Resisting the urge to subconsciously ask "How much money does Angelina need?", Ella sighed softly.

"Those people must be desperate for help. Even if they were given magical weapons, it wouldn't be effective."

At least from his own "Low-level Item Identification", the thing in the young noble's hand was not a real Demon God Gold Coin.

"Well, just like Ms. Ella said, even if I give you a magic weapon, I won't get any corresponding reward."

Luty smiled and answered Angelique, who only stuck her head out of the car.

"Why aren't I getting paid? Is it a breach of contract? Wouldn't that be beneath the dignity of a noble? I don't quite understand it, but it seems like nobles take this very seriously."

"Hmm... I just polished a piece of ore worth only a few dozen gold coins into the shape of a demon gold coin."

"Wow, that's no different from a liar."

In an instant, an expression of disgust appeared on Angeline's face. This rich and unconcealed expression made Ella feel a little cute.

As if she remembered something, Angelini's expression changed to curiosity again.

"Little Ella, what are you going to do with those 'Dragon Stones'? Is it okay to just give food and clothing to the villagers?"

Perhaps she was worried that the unprotected children might be brutally treated by robbers. Angelica's eyebrows were twisted together, and her clear sapphire eyes showed worry.

Pushing away Angeline who was about to get close to her face, Ella told her how to deal with it.

"It's okay. As a reward for their help in collecting the Dragon Stone, I've left at least three years of food there. I've also provided protection for some bandits who want to reform and stay in the village. I've also signed a binding contract with them, preventing them from directly or indirectly harming the villagers. It should be fine."

In fact, what Ella didn't say was that she later used the power of the "Pseudo-Original Sin Seal" to control monsters, and arranged some monsters near the forest to guard the village. If the people in the village wanted to live in the town, those monsters would follow them and escort them to the town safely.

As for the remaining bandits who had committed unforgivable crimes, they were taken to the nearest town and handed over to the local patrol. As a reward, they received a small bag of gold coins. Now it has been a week since the matter was resolved, and they have passed through several human towns along the way.

"Is that so... I'm glad you're alright. Ella-chan is a good person after all."

"Even if Angelina said that, it doesn't make any sense, and it sounds weird."

If Angelina hadn't been praising her with a relieved expression, Ella would have thought that her confession had failed and she had been given some kind of mysterious card.

Ella's thoughts were interrupted by Iris's voice coming from the carriage.

"Well, let's talk about this later. What are you going to do next, Ella-chan?"

"After that? Let's go and complete the mission assigned by the academy first."

"...I knew it would be like this. This is a rare opportunity. Wouldn't it be better to explore Zeos City before delivering the letter? Anyway, the delivery is scheduled for six months, and it looks like the city is holding a festival for something right now."

Perhaps it was the information she got from the car window that Iris attributed the bustling crowds on the road to a festival - in fact, since a while ago, words like "the kingdom's only princess" and "first appearance" kept coming into Ella's ears.

"Well...if Iris thinks it's okay, then it's fine. Anyway, Iris is in charge of the delivery mission."

"Then let's find an inn first, and then go see the festival."

Iris's tone didn't sound like a negotiation at all, so there was no way she could refuse—she must have said that because she wanted to go and see it, and that thought suddenly came to Ella's mind.

"Can I go play in the city first? I'll go to the inn to find little Ella later."

Angelica's energetic and lively voice sounded.

Considering that Angeline was already level 20 and that she had the Terrain Search tool, she wouldn't let Angeline get lost, so Ella nodded.

Even in the Holy Academy, Angelini was a restless person, so it was natural that she would find it interesting in a strange city. If I acted like a guardian and said I didn't agree, Angelini would definitely beg me with a pitiful expression - she would agree in the end anyway, so it would be better to agree from the beginning and save some effort. Of course, that expression with tears in her wide blue eyes or the pitiful look of her huddled in the corner of the car was also very cute, and it was a pleasure to appreciate it occasionally.

——Well, that’s not right. If I continue like this, I’ll become like Lizzie. It’s better to avoid deliberately teasing others.

Ella shook her head and watched Angeline, holding the giant scythe, skipping and disappearing into the street.

"Senior, please let me take care of Angeline-senpai."

Shen Gan's voice, almost without any emotion, sounded beside him. Because he had used magic props to cover up the animal ears that symbolized the dragon clan, Shen Gan now looked no different from a human.

"Then... let's bring Fukama along. With Fukama around, Angelique will respect herself a little more."

"Um."

Nodding, Shen Gan disappeared into the street faster than Angelini.

Sitting in the driver's seat of the carriage, Ella stretched out her body.

"Ah~ah, then after we find an inn, let's go see that festival about the princess."

Chapter 20 Sister?

*January 30, 6187, 10:43 AM, Jaos City, Kingdom of Baris

They randomly found a hotel to stay in. Since Iris and Camisia said they had something to do and couldn't accompany them, Ella and Luty started to visit the city of Zeos together.

Near noon, the city of Jeos was unusually bustling. Unlike Ryan Town, which also belonged to the Kingdom of Baris, the main road paved with stone in Jeos City, the royal capital, was unusually spacious. Perhaps because many nobles lived here, the buildings that stood in a row were unusually gorgeous, and could even be described as magnificent. If it weren't for the sky covered by thick clouds that made people feel unusually depressed, it would probably be a city quite suitable for human habitation.

"There don't seem to be any children or slaves on the streets. Is this really the royal capital?"

Walking through the noisy streets, Ella looked at Lotte who was walking beside her. Since she was wearing a magic item that could change her eye color to blue, she didn't have to worry about being discovered as a demon.

"...Miss Ella simply didn't realize that the capital isn't such a beautiful place. Wanderers aren't allowed on the main roads during the day."

Perhaps recalling her past as a noble, Lotte gave a wry smile.

"Eh...Is it just on the surface? Didn't Lotte live in the royal capital when she was a noble?"

"No, my father was a hereditary noble who owned territories around the capital. Although this reminder may be unnecessary, there are many thieves in the capital, so it would be better for Miss Ella to be on the lookout."

As she spoke, Lotte glanced at the strange man who had been following her. Realizing he had been discovered, the man immediately put on a cold expression and turned to look for his next target.

After giving Lotte an embarrassed smile, Ella changed the subject.

"I heard on the way there that the capital was holding a princess election. Apparently, because the king is old and has no daughters, he chose a princess who has no inheritance rights from among the candidates. Today seems to be Princess Tifarian's first official appearance as a princess. Does Lotte know this person?"

Although it sounds incredible, this person named Tifarian was indeed elected as a princess. If Ella remembered correctly, when she left Ryan Town, the city lord Kmir gossiped to her that the king of the Kingdom of Baris had no daughter and had always hoped to have a daughter. At that time, Kmir also hinted to her that if she went, she would definitely be elected, but she did not expect - or rather, did not like - such a thing to happen, so she did not take it to heart.

If I had really done that at that time, perhaps things would have turned out differently, such as becoming a princess of the human kingdom instead of a demon queen. However, I just want to live a relaxed and happy life, so I won't have any regrets.

"Ah...wait, if I became a princess of the human kingdom, maybe I wouldn't have the heavy responsibilities I have now as the Demon King's daughter? ——Yeah, but humans seem to be more complicated than demons, so it might be harder."

Ella stuck out her tongue in her heart. If she really had to say what if, she might have been more of an ordinary person if she hadn't left Ryan Town in the first place. However, since the purpose was to improve Lotte's strength, there was no other way but to go to the Holy Academy.

After thinking for a moment, Lotte shook her head. If it were in the past, the pleated lace on her maid outfit would sway with it, but today everyone was wearing coats that focused on keeping warm, so naturally there would be no such effect.

"I don't think I've heard of this person. She must be from far away from the capital. The requirement for the election is that both parents are deceased, so she might be the daughter of a fallen noble."

"Well, that's right."

Shrugging her shoulders, Ella and her companion followed the crowd and arrived at a huge open-air arena. This was the reason why the city of Jeos was so lively - the naming ceremony of Tifarian, the only princess of the Kingdom of Baris, would be held here.

Perhaps because King Tovasan would also appear here, many soldiers wearing the standard armor of the Kingdom of Baris were guarding the venue nervously as if they were facing a powerful enemy. In addition to paying a fee of five silver coins, everyone entering the venue also had to undergo up to three levels of inspection. Even dagger-level weapons and dimensional backpacks were not allowed to be brought in. As for Ella's storage, that was already beyond the standard, and the soldiers simply did not have the ability to inspect it to that extent.

Squeezing through the throng, Ella and the other girl settled at the back of the line, encountering almost no setbacks—except for the momentary surprise of those present when they announced their own and Lotte's ranks—before handing a gold coin to the sweat-faced guard and entering the venue.

The overall layout of the venue was not much different from the arena of the Holy Academy. The audience sat on the circular steps around it, and the stage in the middle was hosted by a character similar to a master of ceremonies. Directly opposite where he sat was a small room separated by magical glass. If I was not mistaken, that should be where Emperor Tovasan and the princess who would soon be named "Jeos" were.

"It feels just like the old idol concerts, this lively feeling."

Ella murmured in a low voice at a volume that Lotte wouldn't hear. She could hear some people in the venue loudly praising Tifarian's beauty. If the guards weren't there, they would even stand up excitedly and wave the clothes in their hands.

A few seconds later, the host walked onto the stage and delivered some irrelevant opening remarks as the venue fell into timid whispers.

Ella was not interested in this long speech, which was like the one at the opening ceremony, and looked at Lotte who seemed to be thinking about something beside her.

"Come to think of it, Lotte was once a count's daughter, so she must have been quite famous, right? Her territory was near the royal capital, and she was also very beautiful."

According to the standard of this world where 15 years old is considered an adult, Lotte must have been at least 12 years old when she finally became a noble. Even if Lotte said that her father had prepared an engagement for her, Ella would not be surprised, but she would still be a little worried in her heart.

Lotte murmured softly as if recalling a memory.

"Hmm... I don't think much of it, but I'm probably quite famous in the eyes of others. I've even had other nobles come to get engaged before—"

Having said this, Luti suddenly stopped, as if she realized that she had said something wrong. She raised her head suddenly and waved her hands continuously.

"No, but don't worry, Miss Ella. My father declined all those requests, so there was no real engagement—it won't cause any trouble for Miss Ella."

Lotte's answer made Ella breathe a sigh of relief. If there really was an engagement, according to the comics, the next step would be to help Lotte break up the engagement, or something like that. Since there wasn't one, it would save her a lot of effort. But then again, Lotte and she were just friends, master and servant at best. Wouldn't it feel a bit presumptuous to help resolve the engagement without asking Lotte's consent? Why did she subconsciously want to resolve it?

Feeling that if she continued to think about it, she would discover something that she couldn't express at the moment, Ella shook her head and spoke slowly while unconsciously curling her golden hair that flew in front of her.

"Well, I'm not bothered by that kind of problem..."

"It's not a problem? Then it's...?"

Lotte opened her mouth slightly and looked at Ella with a mixture of anticipation and uneasiness in her eyes.

"—Now, please welcome today's protagonist, the kingdom's princess, Lady Tifarian!"

The emcee's voice suddenly grew louder, drowning out the entire venue and drawing Ella and Lotte's attention. A girl with waist-length pink hair, a flower crown on her head, and an elegant long dress with a white base and black and dark blue embellishments slowly walked onto the stage. Even from a distance of dozens of steps, Ella could feel the intimate atmosphere emanating from the girl. Thinking of it this way, it was no wonder that the civilians had yelled and shouted before. This kind of temperament was completely peaceful and did not create any barriers. It was completely different from Iris's noble temperament that would make people feel ashamed when she stood in front of them.

If Iris is compared to the sun that emits dazzling light all the time, then this girl is the soft silver moon that brings comfort to people at night.

It's worth mentioning that the princess named Tifarian is at level 24 in the "low-level appraisal" test, so the golden rapier on her waist might not be just a decoration, but a genuine magic weapon.

"You really deserve to be called a princess... You feel so close to me even though we haven't met before. You're so beautiful, eh, Lotte?"

When Ella glanced at Lotte with admiration, she found that Lotte was staring at Tifarian on the stage with a dull look as if she had seen something incredible. Her orange-red eyes gradually widened, and her lips trembled as she squeezed out a few words.

“…Sister…Sister…?”

Chapter 21 Tifarian

"...Sister...Sister?"

"Lotte?"

Crystal liquid appeared in Luty's eyes, and her whole body trembled unconsciously.

This was the first time that Loti had shown herself like this in front of him since she came to Ryan Town. Judging from Loti's words just now, the person named Tifarian on the stage should be Loti's sister who was once kicked out of the house.

Maybe Lotte actually has a sister complex?

This thought suddenly came to Ella's mind.

He shook his head, now was not the time to think about these things.

In order to help Lotte recover from her abnormal state, Ella placed her hand on Lotte's shoulder and made her look at her.